The instant invention relates to alkyl-substituted spirodecenone derivatives defined according to the structure: ##STR2## wherein one of R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 is hydrogen and the other of R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 is methyl and R.sub.3 represents C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and uses of same in augmenting or enhancing the aroma of perfume compositions, perfumed articles and colognes.
Inexpensive chemical compounds which can provide spicy, floral, rose-like, minty, jasmine and woody aromas with sweet, cardamon, natural balsam, floral, spicy, camphoraceous, vetiver-like, woody, fig-like, and date-like undertones are highly desirable in the art of perfumery. Many of the natural materials which provide such fragrances and contribute such desired nuances to perfume compositions as well as perfumed articles are high in cost, unobtainable at times, vary in quality from one batch to another and/or are generally subject to the usual variations of natural products.
There is, accordingly, a continuous effort to find synthetic materials which will replace, enchance or augment the fragrance notes provided by natural essential oils or compositions thereof. Unfortunately, many of the synthetic materials either have the desired nuances only to a relatively small degree or they contribute undesirable or unwanted odor to the compositions.
Spiro ketones including spirodecenones as well as spiroundecenones are well known in the prior art and their utilities are known in perfumery.
Thus, Japanese Published Application No. 76/65738 (abstracted at Chemical Abstracts 85:123440f) (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,457 issued on Oct. 4, 1977) discloses the compound having the structure: ##STR3## as being useful in perfumery and further discloses the process according to the reaction: ##STR4##
Nerdel and Dahl, Ann. Chim., 710, 90 (1967) discloses the compound having the structure: ##STR5## and the generic process, to wit: ##STR6## (wherein R represents hydrogen or methyl).
Tanaka, et al, Chem. Comm. 1967, page 188 (title of paper: "The Total Synthesis of Chamigrene" discloses the compound having the structure: ##STR7##
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,866 issued on Apr. 14, 1981 (Class 252, Subclass 522 R) discloses the genus of compounds having the structure: ##STR8## wherein R.sub.1 -R.sub.6 each represents hydrogen or lower alkyl. U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,866 discloses the broad genus, to wit: ##STR9## wherein each of the dashed lines represent carbon-carbon single bonds and carbon-carbon double bonds. The compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,866 are indicated to be useful in perfumery.
However, the alkyl-substituted spirodecenone derivatives of our invention have unexpected, unobvious and advantageous perfumery properties when compared with the perfumery properties of the prior art.